I Will Always Live On
by Charlotte Baylee
Summary: "I never knew my dad" – "but you're a Malfoy?" – "Check this out, 'Attacks on Muggles Terrorize The Country" – "But Voldemort's dead?" –"Yeah... I thought so too." PLEASE READ!
1. Coming home to Confusion

"**I never knew my dad" – "but you're a Malfoy?" – "Check this out, 'Attacks on Muggles Terrorize The Country" – "But Voldemort's dead?" –"Yeah... I thought so too." PLEASE READ!**

**Okay, so since reading a Dramione that my sister pestered me about for nearly a month, I've decided to try and write my own – which is absolutely huge for me. I don't own any rights to the characters or what not as of course they are J.K Rowling's; however I hope I'm successful with this!**

"LAST CALL!" the whistle blew for the train to leave platform 9¾ as Hermione quickly jumped on after Ron. The boys had almost made them late after seeing George at HIS SHOP that morning, something that was not supposed to have happened at the last moment.

Ron messed up his hair with one hand, smiling at Hermione sheepishly as they checked for a spare compartment, he knew she never liked to be late for anything. It was going to be their final year at Hogwarts, really it was lucky Dumbledore told Harry and Ron to return and finish their wizarding education or Hermione would have been quite alone. There was always Ginny, Ron's younger sister who she was rather close to, but it wasn't the same.

Now they were in Ginny's year, the year below what they had been in before, which Ginny was excited about but Hermione felt oddly wary, she didn't want the teachers to think of them as stupid.

Harry slid open a door to reveal a compartment where Neville sat alone.

"Hey Neville, do you mind?" Harry gestured towards the empty seats.

"Not at all," he said, the boy sat up and a book fell off his lap, "I'd like someone to talk to. I just finished my last Herbology book from Professor Sprout."

"Really?" Hermione asked, lowering herself into the seat opposite him. Neville nodded and grimaced,

"Yeah, I only started it yesterday too. Hopefully there's more about Russian fungi in the library at school." He heaved the large book up onto one of the shelves above their heads before sitting back down. "You guys don't think it'll be weird going back to school in the year below, do you?"

"Yes" Ron and Harry huffed simultaneously, but Hermione shook her head,

"I don't think it'll be all that different, just new classes and dorms" She didn't want to voice her thoughts on friendships; they would all play out during the school year.

"Don't forget we'll still be terrorised by the Slytherins," Ron said with a mocking voice, "Just think, Malfoy is coming back too, so nothing can be weird there." Everyone cringed at the thought of Draco Malfoy's merciless jibes.

"Actually," Neville interjected, "I don't know if he hasn't changed" all three of them turned to look at the long faced young man.

"Well just before you came in, I saw Malfoy walk past and then not even a minute later he went past again in the same direction, wearing old, second hand robes. It was a little confusing." he admitted. Hermione felt sympathetic, most things did confuse Neville when it came to the Malfoys.

"Don't worry Neville, it was probably some prank of his" she said, rolling her eyes.

But as she said it, the compartment door slid open and there stood a dishevelled Malfoy. Not the superior, selfish, pure-blood type Malfoy they were used to, rather his face looked older, the circles under is eyes a little deeper, and his hair was darker than before.

There was something in his eyes that told Hermione he was different, hadn't they been a grey colour before?

The Malfoy that stood before them was completely different. He had incredibly green eyes.


	2. Is there some Gryffindor in you?

'**I find it kinda funny, I find it kinda sad, these dreams in which I'm dying are the best I've ever had' – Mad World**

They stared at Malfoy. He stood there, holding onto the door as he attempted to speak, but his mouth failed for words. Neither Harry, Ron nor Hermione could think of something to say that they wouldn't get teased about and Neville certainly appeared to be busy looking out the window.

Malfoy shuffled his feet hesitantly, "Do y-you... would y-you mind if I sat with you?" He looked at the ground as an unfamiliar voice came from the boy's mouth.

Harry's jaw dropped. It was understandable considering Malfoy had just asked to join them.

Hermione raised her eyebrows at Malfoy, clearly he was cracking some joke with his stupid Slytherin friends watching, just waiting to laugh at them.

Malfoy sighed and shook his head, "Forget it." He spat and closed the door quickly.

Ron and Harry looked at each other, Harry's mouth still slightly open from what had happened.

Neville took a deep breath in as if he was about to say something, "He...What?" his face screwed up in the recognizable confusion.

"I don't know," Hermione admitted, frowning, "if that was an indicator for this year, you're right Neville, it's definitely going to be weird"

"Did you see his robes? They were almost as old as mine." Ron declared, "Actually we might need to get changed into our robes soon."

They continued to talk about the new Malfoy for the rest of the train ride to Hogwarts, occasionally making comments on other students and teachers while they got ready.

Hermione couldn't wait to go to Hogwarts, to go home.

XXXXXXXXXX

Walking into the Great Hall, Hermione took in the familiar house tables and the dark blue ceiling, it seemed Dumbledore wanted to mimic the night sky tonight. The older students sat in their houses as younger children walked through up to the front, and after directions from Mcgonagle, Malfoy was to sit with the Gryffindors. A great hush fell over the room as Professor Dumbledore made his way towards the front, to begin his first words for the year.

"Welcome back to yet another year at Hogwarts! A delight to see many returning faces and a few new," his gaze settled on the Gryffindor table, "I would like to congratulate the first years on their arrival and..."

Hermione zoned out quickly, she'd been so excited to get back to school and studying that she'd been worn out, keen to be over with dinner and up in her room.

This year would be different to all the others she had experienced at Hogwarts, now that Voldemort was defeated and there would be no more threats to Harry she could almost relax and enjoy studying, except that she knew Harry and Ron would leave it to the last possible moment.  
>Typical boys.<p>

Ginny Weasley nudged her with her elbow, "Hey Mione' you might get another courting from Krum" she laughed softly, nearly spilling pumpkin soup down her front as she went to slurp it off a spoon.  
>"What do you mean?" she asked, furrowing her eyebrows.<br>"Dumbledore?" the red head asked, throwing her thumb over her shoulder, "He just said we might get another visit from Durmstrang."  
>"Ginny, Krum would've graduated from Durmstrang already and is probably focusing on his quidditch career, and anyway, he never really liked me."<br>Ginny looked at her disbelievingly, "Mione' you_ know _he liked you, and even if you didn't, we did. It was so obvious!" Hermione shook her head slightly, dating was definitely not on her list of to-do's this year, it would just distract her from her studies, and no one would be given the chance to do that. She would make sure of it.

XXXXXXXXXX

After dinner had ended she walked quickly up to the Gryffindor common room with Ginny, they knew they had to be quick to get good beds for the year, she left Harry and Ron talking to some blonde Ravenclaw, not wanting to stick around when Ron tried to flirt with her as he had before they started going out. It hadn't been the nicest ending either, Hermione decided, lying to get away from someone to snog another Gryffindor and their screaming matches weren't the most fun she'd had before.

"Password." the fat lady said in a deep voice, looking at the girls expectantly, Ginny wrinkled her nose.

"Illumina spectriconia" The portrait swung open to reveal Hermione's home, the comforting room filled with familiar chairs, pictures and warmth from the fire. After taking it in, Ginny turned to her,

"You know what, I think I won't date anyone this year either, I mean, boys are just impossible." She sighed, continuing the walk up to the girl's rooms. Hermione looked sceptical.

"Gin, you _always_ like someone, somehow I don't think your plan will last long' she teased, jumping on each different bed to test out the mattress.

"I know, but it's just too hard to try and keep up with them. One minute they're loving and kind, the next they want nothing to do with you, so you back off and give them space and all of a sudden you're the one that apparently doesn't like them anymore. I mean.. just... What the hell!" she said, frustrated. Hermione nodded in agreement after choosing the best bed near the window, she knew what it was like, but Hermione hadn't really had the experience in boys that Ginny had.

"You'll find someone Gin, don't worry," she smiled, "it'll probably be when you least expect it too."

After Hermione had helped the weaslette choose her own bed, other Gryffindors started filing into the rooms, sorting out their belongings and getting ready for bed, the Patil twins and Lavender Brown being in the closest beds to Hermione's.

That night she dreamt of Harry, looking deep into his green eyes just before he kissed her just as his arms wrapped around her to pull her tightly against him. She pulled away to breathe in deeply, looking up to see the bright green eyes

Of Draco Malfoy.

**A/N: so I know it's been AGES since I published the first chapter but I had major writers block already haha, yes, with chapter two. D:**

**And trust me with the whole advice for any girl with finding love when you least expect it; I met my boyfriend on my exam break when he tiled our bathroom, he's four years older than me and I love him heaps. Was definitely an unexpected outcome of getting our house renovated...**

**I hope this is worth reading so please give me feedback by reviewing!**

**Charlotte x**


	3. Maybe i could help?

**We can easily forgive a child who is afraid of the dark; the real tragedy of life is when men are afraid of the light. - Plato**

As soon as school started, the homework started to pile onto the seventh years, which Hermione found quite easy to keep up with, while others, especially Harry and Ron were struggling. Harry, as captain of the Gryffindor quidditch team she could understand, but Ron, who did practically nothing, annoyed her when he complained about the work assigned to them and asked to look at what she'd done.

"Honestly, you'd think he would remember almost failing all his other years and would actually want to get his act together for this year!" Hermione cried, throwing herself down on her bed after Ron had tried to pinch her notes for a potions essay. Lavender looked at Parvati.

"What?" she asked, hoisting herself up onto her elbows and looking at the two girls.

"Well, it's just that we heard some things about Ron from Ginny, she's actually really worried about him" Parvati said, glancing up from the floor to Hermione then back down again.

"What do you mean?"

"I dunno," the girl shrugged her shoulders slightly, "maybe ask Ginny?"

Hermione found Ginny in the Library reading a book she had read in her third year "Animagus and how to spot them" and she looked up as Hermione sat down next to her.

"Hey Mione'," the red head smiled half heartedly, "what's up?"

"Not much really, starting to get heaps of homework though" she creased her mouth into a thin line.

"I know, it's getting so hectic and it's only the start of the year," Ginny shook her head, "I'll cope though" Hermione smiled and tapped her thumbs under the table.

"I have no doubt you will. Ron isn't coping though. He isn't coping at all really." She said slowly, fishing for a reaction while she spoke.

"Yeah..." Ginny sighed, "I have no idea what's up with him at the moment" she shut the book she was reading, pushing it off her lap and onto the floor beside her.

"Hmm, I hope he gets himself sorted soon. I don't want to see him fail but then I can't let him fly through with all my notes and stuff"

"Yeah I know what you mean, hopefully he'll come through though," she smiled, looking up at the bushy haired girl, "otherwise hex him for me will you? I'd get in serious trouble from mum if I did it" she laughed

The laughter died when someone approached their spot in the library, and the familiar white blonde hair and cruel face was all too familiar for the two girls. They threw each other an obvious _'great here comes trouble'_ look and stood up to leave.

"Mudblood. Sheweasel. I hope you haven't ruined my studying with your putrid stench yet" he sneered as they walked past him, Hermione threw him a murderous glare but Ginny kept her head down.

"What was that?" Hermione cried once they were in the corridor, "you let him walk all over you!"

"I dunno... I didn't feel like being mean I guess." She mumbled, shifting the book she was holding to her other hand.

"Don't tell me you're getting a soft spot for Malfoy?" Hermione raised her eyebrows in disbelief

"I never said that. He just has a way of making a girl go weak is all."

Hermione snorted, "Maybe I'm not categorised as a girl to him, and never get his influential ways then, just the snotty bratfaced ones"

XXXXXXXXXX

The next time she saw Ron was at breakfast the next morning, his face looking paler than usual and great circles under his eyes, but Hermione knew that if she tried to scold him or tell him to pull his head in he wouldn't listen.  
>Harry came and sat next to Ron and pulled a plate towards him, piling pancakes and strawberries onto it and being seemingly oblivious to Ron's state.<p>

Hermione sighed; of course she was the one who had to look after them both.

"Come on Ron, you have to eat sometime you know, usually you'd be stuffing your face by now" she chided, pushing cornflakes towards him. He looked her in the face,

"I don't feel like cornflakes," he mumbled, "I already ate."

"Uh huh, sure you did. If you don't eat now you'll be starving way before lunch is even near."

"I wouldn't bother," Ginny said, shifting up to be closer to Hermione after finishing another conversation, "he gets in a mood like this and nothing can help. Even food."  
>Hermione wondered if Harry was being oblivious or already knew better. Harry nodded his head in agreement with Ginny, he apparently already knew better. The dolt.<p>

"Well now that I've _eaten _something, I'm gonna grab the rest of my books for transfiguration, I'll see you guys there?" the bushy haired girl asked, she only got nods from the boys.

As Hermione climbed the stairs to the Gryffindor common room she thought about her encounters with Malfoy; first he turns up on the train dishevelled and odd looking with green eyes, then he kicks her and Ginny out of their spot in the library with his stupid over-confident ways. The jerk. But what was up with his eyes? It was weird, how they had changed like that and she had never known another Malfoy to have green eyes, they all were blue.

XXXXXXXXXX

Because she was always the first and earliest there, Hermione knew she was going to have to wait for anyone else to turn up. However as she rounded the corner to her class, Mcgonagle was waiting for her.

"Miss Granger" she said, looking down at Hermione through her spectacles, "good to see you're early as always."

"Professor" she smiled in reply, the woman started to unfold the parchment she was holding then rolled it back up again.

"Miss Granger, I would like to extend an opportunity to you to mentor someone and help them study, they are very far behind and need all the help they can attain from someone such as yourself."

The girl stood there for a moment, at first wondering who the person could be and then deliberating on how she could help them.

"Professor I would love to, but I'd be too afraid of teaching them or studying things wrong," she frowned, "I know it's very unlikely to happen but if they had full confidence in what I helped them with and it turned out to hinder them I'd hate myself"

"Don't worry child, you would be the perfect person to help him, you are after all the brightest witch of your way." She smiled, "Now they need help with transfiguration which is why I have come to see you before this class, I would like you to sort out your own time to meet however I have organised an hour tonight in this classroom."

"Thank you professor," she grinned, "I hope it all works out"

The two walked into the class and before long other people started to file in, sitting at their desks. Hermione was excited the whole way through transfiguration, her other classes and all the meals that day, wanting to get to that hour at the end of the day. After finishing dinner, Hermione pulled her transfiguration books out of her bag before dropping the rest of her things off in her dorm to walk to the classroom. Maybe she was going to help a 6th year? Girl or boy? Which one would be more awkward she wondered. No, she would be professional and not make anything awkward at all.

She pushed the door open and found the odd, dishevelled Malfoy staring at her shyly.

Great.

**PLEASE REVIEW! I know this is only the third chapter and i shouldn't really have any more than three reviews but still... i need comments on what to work on!**

**I'm getting back into writing now that its holidays here and i just had to write a story for lit. Ew. But please give advice haha **

**Thanks! x**


	4. Oh, Hey new Malfoy

"**Promise me you'll always remember: You're braver than you believe, and stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think." ― A.A. Milne**

Hermione held onto the door knob, in half a mind to turn around and walk right out, but then she figured it would be rude and wanted to know why HE of all people needed tutoring. Honestly.

"Ok. What's the game? I'm getting frustrated with it extremely quickly." She said, glaring at him before closing the door behind her.

"What game? Professor McGonagall offered me a tutor," he frowned," I had no idea who it would be."

Hermione scoffed, "Malfoy, stop with all the stupid pretences! Of course you don't nee—"

"You know my name." He cut in, gazing at her affectionately, "you... know my name?" he said again, confusedly.

"Oh my go... seriously? This is just getting ridiculous. Stop it before I hex the crap out of you!" she yelled, stomping her way towards the door. Before she could open it, a pale hand caught her wrist.

"I'm not... _Draco_," he sneered, "I'm Immanis Malfoy. His brother. I never knew my dad, or my family."

Hermione stared at him, yet again open mouthed. No words formed in her head, and for once she was speechless. Closing and opening her mouth several times, all the bushy haired girl looked like was a fuzzy goldfish.

"But... You're a Malfoy?" she said stupidly, screwing up her face. Since when did the Malfoys ever have two sons?

"I'm his brother. No one knows about me, and my parents don't even know I'm here. Well now that Draco has seen me I'm sure he's told our parents." The realisation dawned on his face and the boy shuddered. Hermione was still failing to come to terms with the revelation.

"But why don't they know? Why haven't you come to Hogwarts before now?" she asked, bursting with questions but containing herself. She walked over to a desk hesitantly and sat on top of it, intrigued by the new Malfoy.

"Draco and myself are identical twins, but when we were born and they saw our eyes I was different. I've always been different. Lucius immediately decided I was a squib and not worthy of living the life of a Malfoy, so he sent me away."

"Just by your eyes?" Hermione asked, still unsure.

"What Malfoy doesn't have grey eyes? And sure you could think I'm lying, but ask Draco yourself, they even checked on me when I was eight years old to see if I had magical talent." He said, looking down.

"Well... didn't you?"

"Didn't Harry Potter not know he was a wizard until he was eleven? Some of us are... late bloomers," the boy said awkwardly, "I only found out I was a special kind of different kid three years ago and even then that was basic stuff! I'm so far behind." He groaned and looked at her pleadingly.

"Fine," she said, "I believe you. But don't think that doesn't mean I won't be talking to Malfoy." He looked are her questioningly.

"The other Malfoy," She added, "but first, let's see what you can do."

"McGonagall said you'd help," he smiled, "but she didn't mention that you were pretty."

XXXXXXXXXX

After her encounter with the new Malfoy, Hermione was keen to track down _Draco_ and make him talk, had he always known about Immanis? Did he hate him? Had they even talked yet? She sat at lunch the next day and wondered about what the Malfoy life was really life, shooting a glance at the stuck up Slytherin. He was laughing. Well it looked kind of evil, and she thought there was a mad glint in his eye, but hey, anything can be covered up with a smile.

"I totally know what you're thinking." Ginny nudged her and winked, flicking her eyes towards the Slytherin table.

Hermione rolled her eyes, "I have no idea what you're talking about." She stiffly, picking her fork back up and stabbing a piece of chicken.

"Yeahhh," the redhead sang, "you think he's cute!"

"Who?"

"Come on, Malfoy! Or Blaise... either ones pretty good actually" she smirked. Wow Slytherin trait right there.

"Of course I don't, they're _Slytherins_ Ginny. And Malfoy isn't...cute." _ No he's handsome, _she thought. Wait, since when was Malfoy handsome? Merlin, thanks a lot hormones. Hermione looked at Malfoy a little closer, he had the perfect hair, obviously, and you could tell from his forearms he was strong... now she needed a better view. She still had to talk to him.

The opportunity arose two days later in Ancient Runes, while surprised to see the real Malfoy taking the class Hermione realised she actually had no idea what subjects he was in or what job he was looking at after graduation. Heaven forbid if he was ever given one at the ministry of magic, talk about power freak. The students had walked into the classroom, and having a small class with only a few Gryffindors Hermione took a desk toward the front by herself just as the teacher walked in. Professor Tolgarn was new this year, and as a relatively young teacher she had no control over the class. Sure she gave out detentions but even they were nothing compared to Trelawney's punishments, the poor girl. Hermione felt sorry for her.

"Okay, sit down everyone! You have a new task today." She said, text books in hand and a serious look on her face. Everyone looked at her stunned... work? Like actual work that we have to complete for her work? The Slytherins looked her up and down while other students slowly took their seats. With scruffy hair, big ears and a tiny frame most of the boys in the class towered over the professor, but then none of them wanted to fail the class in their final year, so the Slytherins finally sat down too.

"So," She started, "I will be giving you each an assignment that you must complete in three weeks. You are to translate the books I will give out, discuss any codes, texts or phrases, explain what era they are from and why, and a 25 inch essay will be expected to be handed in along with it on the theory of Sir Byl Shepwinkle. This will be done in pairs if not groups that I will assign." The whole class groaned at the last bit. Of course it would be in pairs. Hermione shifted uncomfortably, _I could get this done so much easier if I didn't have to work with someone! _She thought, _maybe I could ask for an exception to the pairings. _  
>Slowly, Tolgarn read out the partners, using suspense as her control. Oh joy.<p>

"Abbott and Dolohov, up the back. Bones and Majet, in front of them. Patice and Golermo the next..." Hermione watched as most of the students were paired, and she soon realized that Malfoy, Blaise Zabini and herself were some of the last left. Millicent Bulstrode glared at her before going to sit next to a Ravenclaw in the front row.

"Up the back again is the only group, Malfoy, Greengrass and Granger. Zabini and Longbottom, in front of them. I will know if anyone does all the work for their group." Tolgarn eyed Hermione and her group as they sat down in their new seats. There was no way she could get out of this one.

"Granger." Malfoy acknowledged curtly, before turning to Astoria Greengrass and starting a rather intimate conversation. The professor came around and handed out each of their books to translate, which Hermione opened to start looking through while the other two continued to flirt. She became increasingly aware of her less than tame hair and the fact that she never wore makeup. Wait... why should she worry about make up? She never has before. _And just because Astoria gets attention from Malfoy for her looks, doesn't mean I should feel left out_, she thought. _It's because you're a mud blood_, her subconscious yelled at her as she attempted to pat down her hair for the third time. Hermione stared down at the book and chewed her lip. Yep, that was it... Astoria was pure, at least she was in her 'blood'.

Hermione cleared her throat and lifted her chin stubbornly. Screw Malfoy, Astoria AND their flirty conversation.

"So, we should get started on the translations?" she said, interrupting the couple's chatter. Astoria looked down her perfect tanned nose at Hermione. Malfoy hadn't turned around.

"Why don't you do what you want? We don't care." The perfect blonde girl said, raising her elegantly shaped eyebrows. Hermione could just tell Malfoy was smirking. Ugh. She felt herself turn red, put out but determined to go on.

"Well actually, I wanted to talk to Malfoy about his brother. Do you care about that Greengrass?" Malfoy whipped around, glowering at her, while Astoria's mouth popped open.

"What's she talking about Draco?" the girl asked, pulling on his arm for him to turn back around. Draco kept his eyes locked with Hermione's, and then something in them changed. Softened.

"I'll tell you later 'Storia," Malfoy murmured before standing up and walking out the door just in time for lunch.

XXXXXXXXXX

Hermione sat at lunch, nibbling on some tomato while trying to decipher Malfoy's reaction as a scrunched up bit of parchment landed on her lap. If it handed hit her in the head first she would've assumed it was a piece of rubbish but she infolded it anyway.

_Meet me after dinner, 4__th__ floor in the transfiguration class._

_I'll explain._

_Malfoy._

Hermione looked over to the slytherin table and saw him look away from her direction. She was about to accept when she remembered that there was tutoring Immanis after dinner. The girl scribbled a reply on the same piece of paper and scrunched it back up. Flicking it in his direction with her wand.

_I can't. I'm tutoring someone after dinner for the next couple weeks, but I'd really like to know what happened._

_Granger._

She saw Malfoy clench his jaw before quickly writing back and tossing the ball of paper back in her face. She could feel him staring at her as she read his reply.

_Fine. What are you doing this weekend for the trip to Hogsmeade?_

_Malfoy._

Hermione stared at what he wrote. Was Hogsmeade like a... date?

**AN: ok, so I'm scraping together my story before my exchange student comes from Finland on Friday...! This chapter was a bit longer than the others and I really wanted to get over the 5000 words and it was sooo close! but eh, it felt like it was taking forever and I was impatient haha **

**PLEASE REVIEW! I'd love some feedback, what have I done wrong? What can I improve? My sister started her new story locormotis temtepus or something and it has more reviews than mine in all of like a week being up! fhdjsaklnfeisnpmq**

**Heh... aaaaanyways**

**Thanks! x**


	5. That wasn't part of the plan

'**Twas grace that brought my heart to fear, and grace my fear relieved; how precious did that grace appear, the hour I first believed?' – Amazing Grace**

Glancing at the bushy haired girl, anyone could've guessed she was deep in thought, most probably thinking over upcoming assessments or her latest Ancient Runes assignment. But what they didn't know was that Hermione Granger was going over every detail Immanis Malfoy had told her that night about his life and wondering what Draco could be telling her later. In Hogsmeade. On their date. _It's not a date!_ Her subconscious chided, tapping her foot in her head, _it's a trip for... information._ The girl nodded to herself. That's what it was.

Saturday morning Hermione dressed in dark skinny jeans and a cream knitted sweater, tried to tame her wild hair with a curling charm which failed quite nicely and looked at her reflection in the mirror.

"You're very plain." She scolded, "No wonder Draco prefers to talk to Astoria in Ancient Runes."

Looking through her bathroom bag, Hermione pulled out her mascara and bit her lip. Would it be too obvious if she wore it? She never wears make up, what if someone pointed it out? The girl shrugged.

"What's the worst that could happen?" she asked her reflection, before leaning forward and stroking her eyelashes with the mascara. Hermione threw her bag back under her bed and walked quickly to the hall to catch the last of breakfast, plopping herself down to Harry and Ron before tucking into some pancakes. After three mouthfuls of the sweet breakfast a flash of red hair caught her eye.

"Morning Gin." Hermione said, not looking up to see the fiery Weasley.

"Morning Gin" the boys followed, Ginny rolled her eyes at her brother and stared intently at Harry as if waiting for something special. Hermione caught her eye and shook her head,

"Not gonna happen during breakfast I'm afraid." The smart girl commented, even Harry didn't ogle at the person he liked at breakfast. Ginny flicked her hair over her shoulder and sat down impatiently, ignoring the boys since they could ignore her. She pulled a bagel onto her plate.

"so what are your plans today Mione'? Study, study and more study?"

"Actually I'm almost wasting the day going to Hogsmeade. No study for me."

Ron heard her and looked up, "Hogshmeed?" he managed, spitting out some food.

"Yup, I have some things I need to do" she replied, wiping his spit off of her plate and onto the table. Ginny looked at her closer.

"Are you wearing make up?" she asked, disbelief obvious on her face. Hermione dropped her eyes to her food, _of course Ginny chooses today to be observant_, she thought, slightly shaking her head.

"Uhhh... No?" Hermione turned her face back to her friends so it didn't seem like she was hiding in her food, allowing Ginny to lean over the table and look even closer.

"She is!" the Red head exclaimed, "Hermione's wearing mascara!"

"Maz-what?" Harry stared at her, Ginny rolled her eyes.

"MaSCARA. Good choice too, it makes your eyes pop" the girl winked

'Thanks," Hermione Blushed slightly at being caught out. Breakfast seemed to drag after her somewhat embarrassing moment even if she went down to catch the last few minutes, for Hermione it felt like ages before Ron was full. Or should we say finished? _That boy is never full,_ her Subconscious giggled. The trio plus Ginny headed out of the hall and down towards Hogsmeade, with no sight of Malfoy yet that morning. What if he didn't come? Maybe he's plotting something with getting me alone... she quickly threw that idea out as she thought back to the previous nights where Immanis had shared details about his life with her.

"_So what, they took one look at you and sent you away? I thought parents only joked about keeping the good ones and putting the others back" she said, an attempt to lighten the mood which was not successful in the least._

"_I told you, it's my eyes. I was born, I didn't cry and I had my eyes open... lately I've been hearing the Malfoy's are a bunch of whingers so me not crying was probably odd too," He replied, fidgeting with a loose thread on the end of his tie, "I mean, maybe I was better off, you know, going away?" He asked one of the many questions she could answer. It only made her want to talk to Draco Malfoy more._

"_Well, I'm sure if they had known you just had different facial features and weren't a squib then you would've stayed? You're a hell of a lot nicer than Malfoy so don't for one second think you would have been better off. He's spoilt."_

"_Yeah, I gathered that."_

_Hermione took another look at the boy, he really did seem like an exact copy of Draco at first besides the eyes of course, but now she got to know him better, Immanis looked nothing like him._

"_Where did they send you?" she asked softly, not wanting to upset him._

"_It would seem they knew of only one place a squib would be in their regards safe. They put more funds into the orphan house Tom Riddle was placed in and left me there." Hermione gasped._

"_They didn't!"_

"_They did," he nodded slowly, "and it was fine, I mean, I made a few friends and all but being there never felt right. It always felt like I didn't belong in a place where all the kids were basically the rejects or orphans. I'm a reject." He said suddenly, laughing without humour, "how sad is that?"_

_Hermione moved forward and took hold of both his hands in hers._

"_You're not a reject. I'm your friend," she smiled warmly, "and as long as you want me to, I'll be there for you."_

_Immanis looked at his hands in hers, feeling abruptly glad McGonagall chose Hermione to help him. Hermione seemed to read his thoughts._

"_We'll get on with our work now" removing her hands. The loss of contact made his hands cold._

XXXXXXXXXX

Hermione had arranged with Malfoy to meet at the Hogshead pub, less students meant less chance of wither being seen together or being overheard. After telling Harry and Ron that she was going to read in one of the small Bookstores, they left her to her own devices, but not before she gave Ginny a 'tell them you're suspicious and I'll kill you' look. Patting down her now windblown hair, Hermione entered the pub before glancing around warily, what if he'd bought some of his friends? She should've thought of this before! Maybe she really should've told Ginny where she was headed. Her worries were snuffed out though when she saw his blonde hair peeking over the top of one of the tatty booths along the wall, and walking closer she was surprised she had been able to see his hair at all.

Malfoy was bent low over a glass of something, from the smell of it the drink must have been fire whiskey. _Great_, her subconscious said sarcastically, _now we have to deal with the brat when he's annoying AND drunk!_

Hermione slid into the seat opposite; well it was more of a place and jiggle seeing as the seats were a bit sticky, but she managed to face him eventually. He looked up at her coldly. _Annoying, drunk and malicious_, her subconscious corrected herself.

"I'm not drunk by any means of the imagination if that's what you're thinking" he said curtly, giving her a once over as if she shouldn't be in his sight.

"Would it matter if you were? I have no doubt you could still call me a mudblood while drunk" she snapped back. He looked at her oddly.

"I haven't called you that once this year." He stated. Hermione did a double take and it dawned on her... he really hadn't. Even when she interrupted him and Greengrass getting all cosy, he hadn't said anything like that.

"Sorry," she mumbled, tapping her thumb against the underside of the table, "old habits die hard."

"And war changes people." He said throwing back the rest of his drink and bringing it back down to the table, "want one?" he lifted up the empty glass and gestured to it.

"I think I'll be right," she said, eyebrows rising slowly, "but thanks."

He shrugged before calling out for another drink and turning back to her once it was in his hand.

"So what do you want to know?"

Hermione felt her heart rate pick up; could she really just interrogate him brutally and then leave? That'd be awkward, she mused. Have to try anyway.

"You're family really gave him up based on what he looked like?" she asked, pulling her hand on top of the table and drumming her fingers faster.

"Yes, I thought you knew my father was a rash and cruel man."

"Oh I know, but even so, Immanis is his son! Why would it be so bad if he was a squib? It's not like he's impure." She pushed him for information. No way was she ruining her study day for a drunken blubbering idiot.

"He would have been fine with the whole 'pure' crap the Malfoys are about, but with Voldemort so close to power, even if we had no idea he'd be nearly destroyed by pot-head, would it be safe for him to stay with us? He would have been completely dependent and defenceless with so many dark wizards around and hiding him surely was a better option."

Hermione thought about what he said... and after a couple of minutes her head was aching slightly. She was actually having a conversation with the un-nice Malfoy, who knew?

"I think I might have to take you up on that drink actually, it'd both do us good." Malfoy smirked before doing the same call as before for her drink. _You have to sip this slowly_, her subconscious said, _you don't handle alcohol very well._ Rolling her eyes, Hermione took a gulp of the whiskey, feeling the burn slide down her throat and pool into her stomach.

"So it's not that you didn't want him, it was that he was unsafe with Voldemort around?"

"Exactly"

"Why do you call him Voldemort now and not the Dark Lord?" she asked, perplexed.

"Why give him a title and put him on a pedestal? He was nothing but pure evil." Malfoy shrugged again, flicking his hair out of his eyes.

"Wow" Hermione breathed, she stared into his eyes trying to figure out if he had just admitted to not believing in all the crap Voldemort had spun around the death eaters.

"I never even knew about Immanis until a family holiday when I was thirteen. We had to go check on him and father thought I was old enough to be let in on the secret and keep it from old Voldy. I would have loved a brother, especially a twin, growing up. I mean, house elves are fun to boss around and kinda play with, but not like a brother."

Hermione drank some more, mulling over his words and deciding not to go on a rampage about S.P.E.W.

"Why don't you talk to him at school?" she asked, holding her glass to her lips. Malfoy watched her movement.

"I never see him around. Do you?" he replied keeping his eyes on the contact between the glass and her lips. She took the glass away, pulling his focus before she responded.

"Well besides class and... well I never see him in the common room. I was so sure he was sorted into Gryffindor." She frowned. Maybe her memory was playing tricks on her. _Or maybe you're drinking that a bit fast?_ Her subconscious said, _you never have a tricky memory._

"Yeah, he's a sneaky one that boy. Must run in the family." Malfoy winked.

Hermione ogled at him. Draco Malfoy, aka Slytherin Sex God, aka Death eater, aka mean person who no longer calls people mean names, just winked at her. _Oh my god!_ Her subconscious was running around and doing back flips, _geez woman, you should drink some more of that if it means you'll be winked at!_

Malfoy coughed slightly, bringing Hermione back to earth. She blinked several times before draining her glass and asking for another. Wish granted.

"You don't have any brothers or sisters do you Granger?" he asked, attempting to shift the focus of of him for once. Hermione answered without thinking.

"Nup. My parents tried for another child but my mum had a miscarriage and she couldn't keep trying anymore. Tore her apart."

"Oh," Malfoy said, looking at his hands.

"Its ok, it happened years ago. I'd rather my brother or sister was taken than one of my parents. That would've been harder on all of us."

"Yeah, well I had both." Malfoy said quietly, keeping his gaze down.

"What?" Hermione asked, shaking her head to try and clear it. She leaned across the table to hear him.

"First Immanis and then my mother. The Aurors who came for my father found her in their room and had to take her to St. Mungos. " Hermione shuffle-jiggled out of her seat to go sit next to him. In her hazy mind, he looked like he needed a hug.

Wary of what she'd do, Malfoy moved further back in the booth but she kept moving forward until his back was at the wall. She slowly wrapped her arms around his shoulders and pulled him towards her. _Yeah, I think you've had a liiiittle bit too much to drink,_ her subconscious told her, _but he smells nice... so I'm not complaining._ Feeling the warmth of her body, Malfoy relaxed and held onto her, although her hair was almost reaching out to his face, the embrace was somewhat comforting.

It was only when he heard a 'you smell nice, I like you." And a little snore did he realise the little Gryffindor had fallen asleep.

**Another chapter!**

**This was both easy and hard to write, and I'm kinda scared to re-read it at the moment in fear of cringing... so being extremely late and also extremely tired I'm updating haha**

**This was more for a celebration of finishing my mock exams but I'd love some sort of response... please!**

**This was my longest chapter yet; I'm keen to keep working harder if I get some awesome reviews :D**

**Please don't get confused with the whole Hermione/Immanis, its definitely HG/DM... im working on the action guys!**


	6. Lack of Victoria's Secrets

Chapter 6

**Ransom notes keep falling out your mouth, mid-sweep talk, newspaper word cut outs. Speak no feeling, no I don't believe you, you don't care a bit. You don't care a bit. – Hide and Seek.**

Fuzzy.

It was all her brain could process right now, was that everything felt fuzzy; her hair, the socks on her feet, the rug pushed up under her face as a pillow, even her teeth. The feeling reminded her of an ad she saw once on TV at home for sultana bran and how it fought 'the fuzz' at school and being tired. The thought made her giggle slightly and wriggle further into the blankets.

"Are we awake finally?" Hermione heard a voice from far away, they didn't sound impressed. _Nothing can be my fault, I've been asleep, _she thought. She heard footsteps coming closer.

"Hey, Granger you have to wake up now." _Granger? Since when do people call me Granger? _She felt a hand shake her shoulder and Hermione was pulled from her blissful, unaware state, forcing her eyes to open and stare straight into Draco Malfoy's face. Gasping slightly, she pushed herself away from him and screamed a little as she fell off the other side of the bed. The floor was definitely not as comfortable as the bed, but the girl had managed to pull a heap of the blankets down with her so it wasn't cold at least. Hermione lay there for a second, wondering if the stupid blonde git would start making fun of her, after all, she HAD just thrown herself on the floor. _So much for tipsy winks and flirting, _her subconscious ranted,_ he probably thinks you're a tool now! _Hermione shook her head, what did it matter anyway? She was just 'Granger' and always would be.

A small laugh could be heard as he walked around the bed, staring at her position on the floor with an amused face.

"You right?" he asked, a single eyebrow being raised. Hermione huffed and picked herself up off the floor with what she thought was some resemblance of gracefulness.

"fine." She replied, dumping the blankets onto the bed and looking around. The light was fading fast from what she could see out the windows, why was she sleeping in the room of requirement? She turned away from the bed and attempted to look at Draco accusingly, however seeing his mussed hair and half unbuttoned shirt killed any serious look she was going for. Unfortunately this left her with a pained expression... _Wouldn't it be just so much nicer if he could take his shirt off completely? _She asked herself.

"This," he gestured to the room quickly before the painful look could get worse, "is not my fault."

'who's fault is it then?" she demanded, curious as to why he had her in the Room of Requirement. Alone.

"Yours. Ah ah ah!" he cut her off before she could interrupt. "You fell asleep on me in the Hogshead and I wasn't about to leave you there. Even if I brought you back here everyone would think I'd drugged you or worse, so I thought you could just sleep it off before going to dinner."

Hermione pursed her lips, he kinda had a point, and seeing as he'd put in the effort, she may as well have a bit of fun.

"So you what, dragged me here? I doubt you would've carried me bridal style the whole way."

"Sometimes, I like to use this weird thing called magic... it's something I've picked up from inheritance, you know?" he answered sarcastically. Hermione rolled her eyes at him. "I just levitated you back with an invisibility charm; it would've been bad for my reputation if someone saw me randomly levitating a semi-conscious Hermione Granger back to Hogwarts. Everyone would think I'd gone soft." The smirk that appeared on his face looked less evil and more teasing and Hermione couldn't help feeling her lips tug upwards into a smile.

"Okay, okay, I guess I should be grateful. Harry will go ballistic if he finds out though, and so will Ron."

"Why don't we just keep it our little secret then?" Hermione felt herself blush. Keeping the fact that she was brought back to Hogwarts to the Room of Requirement by Draco Malfoy a secret? _Heh heh heh, _her subconscious laughed seedily, _I like that idea. I like that a lot. _Clearing her throat to get the imprinted vision of mussed up Draco out of her mind, she murmured her agreement and headed for the door, reaching the handle and thanking him again.

"Uh Granger? You might... you might want to get changed first."

Hermione quickly shut the door again after looking down and seeing what some people call a 'onesie' instead of her sweater and jeans. Whirling around to face Draco, the typical Hermione-Granger-red-face was intact and the embarrassment factor reached high on the scale.

"You undressed me!?" she yelled, arms instinctively drawing up to cover her chest. Draco looked at her in shock.

"No!" he protested, hands coming up in defence, "I wouldn't do that. I got a house elf to change you, and she just changed you into whatever spare night clothes you had in your trunk."

Hermione grumbled about the fact that her silk Victoria's Secrets night things never came in handy when she wanted them to and that house elves shouldn't be asked to do things like change people's clothes, while looking around for her other clothes.

Draco smiled again, "if it makes you feel any better, I think what you're wearing is a little cute."

"Oh, shove off Malfoy" she said, biting her lip to hide her smile which would surely come out sooner rather than later, "do you know where the house elf put my clothes?"

"The corner, I believe." He said, throwing his hand over his shoulder to indicate which one. "I'll face this way." Hermione nodded her assent and went to get dressed.

"You know, for a whiney Malfoy you're actually acting pretty good today." She saw his head fall back with a single laugh so she continued, "I'd even go so far as to say I'm impressed."

Draco lent back, his hands further behind on the bed, "would you now? I'd have to go so far as to say I'm impressed with how much you twitch in your sleep." He heard her gasp and smirked at the cusses he could hear behind him. She might be Granger, and still a Muggle-born but Merlin she looked funny when she twitched.

"You uh... you watched me sleep?" she asked, fanning her red face before walking back to the door.

"No. It was only when you started talking did I look over." Talking too!? Great...

"Right, well... thanks for meeting me in Hogsmeade today. And for bringing me back, I should've known better than to drink. I manage to fall asleep so easily thanks to alcohol."

"No problem, I'm heading down to the Great Hall now anyway, you coming?"

The question hung in the air, Hermione wondered if there was anything behind it but if he'd wanted to try something funny wouldn't he have done it while she was asleep?

"Um yeah, I'm not really hungry but I should probably make an appearance, huh?" Hermione tugged her sleeve lower and balled her fist around the material. _Yep, making the comeback from tool to winky and flirty again... good girl, _her subconscious praised.

"So I guess you're now friends with Immanis seeing as you two are like this?" he said, motioning to his crossed fingers, "I'm surprised Potty and Weasel aren't jealous of him yet"

Hermione swatted his arm, "it's nothing like that. I tutor him for Transfiguration because he's a little behind. I seriously thought he was you when I first met up with him."

"The poor boy," Draco laughed, "bet he got an earful from you then."

"Hey, I'm not that bad!" Draco sobered up a bit.

"No, you're not. I thought you were some annoying know-it-all before you decided to drink alcohol too fast and fall asleep on me."

Hermione laughed a little, embarrassed, "oh, uh... thanks?"  
>They continued to walk in silence, comfortable in their own thoughts and ignorant of the fact that they hadn't passed anyone in the hallways yet...<p>

**Chapter 6 all done! It is a little shorter than the last chapter but eh, too hard :p**

**Last chapter was my longest and I got all of 0 reviews! Devastated D: but a shout out to alaskanwoman25, adrianalltheway and keeluvsfangandslytherin for favouriting/following! Made me feel a little more loved haha**

**I'm also thinking of starting a new dramione about blind love, anyone keen to help me sort it out and beta would be great :D**

**Thanks!**

**Charlotte **


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